Inserting machine



Dec; 3', T929.

G. sAGuE 1,738,119

INSERTING MACHINE Filed Maron 16. 1926s'v 12 Sheets-sneet l g4/manto@ George Scne Dec. 3, 1929. G. sAGuE 1,738,119

INSERTING MACHINE Filed Maron 1e, 192e 12 sheets-sheet 2 N n m I? jwvamtoz earqe Sag ue,

his elm/www5@ Dec. 3, 192,9. G. sAGUE INSERTING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1926 l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 5mm/nto@ eorqe @Sagan 35% his /gw Dec. 3, 1929. G. SAGUE yINSERTING MACHINE .Fled March 16, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 nvenoz geo rge :Saga e /ws 61% d, ,o l"

G. SAGUE Dec. 3, 1929.

INSERTING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 3, 1929.

INSERTING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Snom/16oz earqe Saque Dec. 3, 1929. G. sAGuE 1,738,119

INSERTING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet '7 Dec. 3, 1929. G. sAGuE 1,738,119

INSERTING MACHINE Filed March 16. 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 lu/vanto@ eorqe -Sqque vhrs @Mo/rm l2 Sheets-Sheet 9 w 3, 1929- G. SAG-UE INSERTING Mmmm Filed March 16. 1926 Dec. 3, 1929. l G, SAGUE w 1,738,119

INSEHTINGr` MACHINE Filed Marohl. 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Dc. 3, 1929. |G SAGUE 1,738,119

, INSERTING MACHINE i Fided March 16. 1926 l2 Sheets-Shaet 12 /N VEA/TOR george Gagne etentecl @esn 3, 1929 wmmrsmmmummnuwmnmawmm MAUNIER;

Termites-llorar illes lrercli illy 15.9326. Serial No. 955Mo.

le oreiller@ lsrge qusnties oi circulars, oclrertisirig metter erre-l the lilre, it is the generell preotice to eliect by liano tlie operetion oi pleoirig tire metter to lne meileol in tile en.- Velopes, eltliorigli machines lieve loeeii devised for tlfirs purpose, lout they lieve ioeeii i'ound to leeslow oi operetiori9 unreliable es to ectiorl$0 easily gotten. out oi oroler7 eed compli cotetl iii clesigri.

m @ne oi the objects of the present invention is to produce e machine Wllereliy tliese operetioris rosy lee electerl eutorooticelly, endl which only requires the replenishment ci the envelopes emol tile metter to lee iiiserteol w therein.,

The object oi the invention is to collect to @other circolare, letters, single slieets, ete.1 of Verious thickness and size enel to irisert the seme into erlrelopes9 close ami steelt tlie seme,

m, ell io en eutometc marmer, repirlly emol eco-vz l'ioiiiicellyiV le leeture oli tlie invention consists irl ioctl ieg envelopes orie ley one from s, source oi" supply, opening tlie flap oi tlie envelope, and iri- 25 sorting tliereiri tiie metter to lie meile irl v the form oi e collected unit or lotmcii co-mposed oi the oliererit inserts, tlleri closing the Hep imei steclririg the filled envelopes.,

ln other mecliines oi this class it has been a@ tlie orectice to advance the openefl envelopes step by step from one station to the eert stetioii emi to receive e. sin le insert from eecli station, lout this method is riot only slow, loot when tire envelope already contains one or i more inserts from the previous stations omi enotlier is pushed in, it will irl merry ceses strike the irlserts already in the envelope enel reiuse to enter, which will clog tire fiction o'l tlie mocliirie end the work will pile up emi t require the stopping of the machine for e generell clean up.

By the method and novel construction lier -w with employecl ell of the matter to be inserteii into the envelope is first collected together from its verious stations into o, launch or pile et o, control or main station sieri from there the entire bunch isinsertefl urto the eri- Velope; emol irl this manner each envelope :will receive its contents, whether ell of tlie verrous te stations ere usecl or not. Y

nllietis the machine ree lier/e :licor stetions and only one, two or tiree employed ori the job that is being rom or eli oi tiiem romy lie used Without in any wey effecting tile einer ation of the machine. 1

Furthermore in machines oi this close there isemployed for the purpose et piercing tlie inserts or contents into the operiecl erirelogoes9 e pusher, lout es tire envelopes ere reqm'reol to more ahead by eri eren steo ley step` more @o merit ond after the puslier iles loetlerl one envelope it must be recerlerl to engage the next loecl, this return strolre is lost time endl the movement of the envelope lies to te slown to gire suficient time ier tire puslier to reeri ceive its next loool, but ley my novel ineens the load 'lor the next envelope is lieiiweollecteci during' the full stroke oi tire pusherliotli iiecle Werd and forward, so tiret tide trorel oiE tire envelopes is almost continuous engl the reciro ierocetoii of the pusher is also ooetirioeol with out any (leed time, enel it will 'time lee seerl tiret tlie action oi the mecliirie is Liest oriol sure. l

With these and other oleieets iii rieir my irln le relation consists in certero iiovel coiistreou tion enel combination oi ports es "will here irieiiter lee fully eiescriloe endl cleirriecl, enti illustrated in the accompanying rire-Wiege which form a, part tliereoi orirl irl 'which lilre @e rigores of reference reier to corresponding; ports "in ell of the viewss loot it is to lee encierstoool tiret I rlp not corilirie myseli to tlie emoty design esshown slight clioriges roer lie meile Without departing irom tee spirit @e of the invention.

le the drewingse 'u Figure l is s. front eleve-tion oi' tire me chine showing tlie generell construction oi tlre seme., v f Figure i2; is e beck `rieti' oi tlie seme Figure 3 is e top pleo View oi the mecliiiie showing the seme with 'the inserts emi er1- velopes in place, and the pusher or ioodcr in the act of filling en' envelope, erl oleo shows es the arrangement of the machine when iour insert supply stations ere employe.

Figure 4 ieee enlsrge cleteil view oi o portion of the machine showing' tire meile driving means. Figure illb is e rletsil tiere lee partly in section, of the intermittent drive used in several places in the machine.

I' igure' is an enlarged cross sectional view 4 of the same.

Figure 6 is a stacking device.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the same.

partial top plan view of the Figure 8 shows the stackerin its raised" i conveyor chain and envelope gripper.'

Figure is a top plan view of the central collecting station and envelope loading de; vice. I

Figure 16 is a rear elevation of the same. Figure 17 is a top plan view of one of the insert stations.4

Figure 18 is a side elevation of the same.

Figures 19, 20, 21 and 22are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the collecting of the inserts and insertion into the envelopes. l

Figures 23 and 24 show means for attachin a stamp to the envelope.

ferring tothe drawin and in particular to Figures 1,2 and 3 t ie machine comprises a main frame 1 in the form of a plate which is mounted on the le 2, which are provided with braces 3 an a support for the motor (not shown), and upon this plate 1 are mounted the-several devices, which will be described in detail in their-order.

Taking first `the means for conveyin the envelopes through the machine and sti referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3; an envelo supply station is secured to one end of t e plate I, and comprises a supporting bracket 4 formed with a guide 5 on which is ad'iistably inounted'the rear iling guide 6 w iich is controlled by the a justing screw 7 and the lock screw 8; on the transverse rods 9 are cured the ment by mounted the members 10 which sulpeport :lile in side lpilin ide rods 11; these justa le aoly the action of a thread rod 12; while tothe front of the bracket 4 Ais seide 13 which has vertical adjuste screw -14.

The rear ide rod 15 is also provided with' A an adjustab e foot 16 on which the rearend V of the envelo end of said pi e rests on the roller 17 which pile rests; while the front is secured on the transverse shaft 18 jourl are fed'from the bottom of vthe stack'b mica in said bracket 4.

. I t will thus be seen thata stack of envelopes are placed in the sup ly station with' the front end resting on t -e roller 17 and the rear end on the foot 16 andbetween the' 'de rods 11,112 and 15, and that the enve emes egotationo'f the roller 17 as actuated in an -of the frame 1' and the driving v 39,similar to that shown in in the intermittent manner by the ptman as will hereinafter be ex lained.

On a plane wit the bottom of said stack is mounted on the pillars 19 and 20 a track comprising the two arallel stri 21 and 22 (see Fi re 5) whic are spa apart as at 23 and ave secured to their adjacent edges and depending therefrom the conveyor gui es 24 formed with the oove 25 for the reception of the lugs 26 see Figure 14) formed on the grip er member of the conveyor chain 27 which clliain is endless and passes around the idler sprockets 28. which are mounted in the bracketsv 29 secured to the under side of the main frame 1; and the idler sprocket 30 mountedin the bracket'31 secured to the top s rocket 32 securedon the shaft 34 mounted in t e bracket 33 on the u per side of the inain frame 1 near the en thereof.

Said shaft 34 has an intermittent rotary movement imparted to it by the reciprocation or movement of the ptman rod 85 which is formed with a slotted end 36 supplied with a rack 37 engaging a r iig on a disk The other eiid of the ptman rodbeing pvoted to the end of a crank`40 (see Fi re 4) secured on one end of the transverse s ft 41 which is rotatably mounted in the bearings driven y a worm 48 on the main drive shaft 49 which is mounted in the bearings 50 secured to the under side ofthe frame 1; said shaft 49 being rotated b y the sheeve wheel 51 secured thereon and which is driven from the motor (-not shown) by a belt or the machine may be operated by the pul ey 173 and belt 1 74 from a countershaftor other source of power.

On the endle conveyor chain, at stated distances ipart are secured the envelope grip pers (see igures 12, 13 and 14) which compiisela link fformed of a blockh53 with si e ugs 26 or e ent wit vea guides 24; saiii blocks 53 beignrg)o slotted to receive an L shaped gripper 54 pivoted therein on one of the ins 55 of the chain, and having an upper jaw orming a clamp' contact with the niilpper surface of the block 58 to hold the e of an envelope the pressure exerted by the 56 w is secured to the forward li o the chain and to the depending part of the jaw member 54;anditwilheseenbythedra this gripper. during the forward travel of conveyor is in a closed position, and is tripped or opened at the proper times by the action of a-cam`57 which is mounted on a shaft 58 rotatable in the bearings59; and theeali 59 this yoke 112 is secured a rack 111 which is in mesh vwith said gear 202, to rotate the same in either direction as the rack is moved back and forth. To the shaft 104 is secured by a pin 203 the disk 109 which is provided with a awlf204 actuated by a spring 205; said awl ing'in engagement wlththe teeth o the gear 202,"i-'s h a mannerthat as the gear is rotated in one Edirection by the rack, the teeth of the gear will engage the pawl and rotate the disk and the shaft, and when said gear is rotated in the opposite direction the gear will click past the pawl and the disk will remain stationary.

In the ease of employing the four insert stations, these pitmen 112 are supplied with racks on both sides in suoli a manner that` one station will be operated on the upstroke and the other on the downstroke.

On the shaft 102 is mounted a roller 116 which may be rubber or rubber covered, and infrictional4 contact therewith is a concave roller 117 which is freely rotatably, mounted on a shaft 118 having its ends journaled in two arms 119 pivoted to the shaft 103 and. held under spring pressure b f the springs 120 which are secured to the collars'on the shaft 103l by the thumb screws 121.

On the shaft 104 inside the two uprights 101 are pivoted the forward ends of the two arms 122; while the other ends of said arms 122 are mounted on a shaft 123 which shaft also has pivoted to one end the upper end o f the link 124; while the lower end of the link 124 is plivoted to the lever 125.

On t e shaft 104-between/the arms 122 is mounted a roller 126 and on the shaft 123 is also mounted a roller 127; while on both of said rollers is mounted an endless conveyor belt 128 which acts as a support and feeder for the inserts which rest thereon and on the support bar 129 which is adjustably secured to thepiling rods 130 which are selcuredto the frame 132,l said rods 130 and 131 serve as sides for the stack of inserts, while a rear adjustable guide 133 is also providedr secured to the frame 100, and a front adjustable guide 134 is secured to the shaft 103 .to prevent the, conveyor from moving forward more than the bottom insert in the pile at one time.

As the conveyor 128 is moved forward by the action of the gear 110 and the pitman 112, a rocking movement is imparted to the stack of inserts by the raising of the rear end of said conveyor belt 128 by the action of the link 124 and lever.125 which lever has one end pivoted to the bracket 135 and' its outer end'formed into a' hook 136 in contact with a cam 137 mounted on the shaft 138 mounted in the bearing 139 secured to the frame 1.

Referring now to Figures 5, 15 and 16, the central collecting and loading station is placed between the opposed pairs ofinsert stations on the plate 100 and comprises a reciprocating member 140 slidably mounted in the guide rrooves 141 formed on the under side of the p ate 100; said member 140 having a movement at right angles to that of the insert deliverin bands 128; movement being imparted to said member by a link 142 and arm A143 having one end pivoted thereto and its other end secured on a shaft 144 mounted in the bearing 145; while to the shaft 144 is secured an arm 146 which is pivoted to the end of a pitman 147 reciprocated by the gear 148 on the shaft 46 (see Figure 4); said pitman 147 extending up through an opening 149 formed in the (plate 1.

Secured to and projecting rearwar 1y and then up and forwardly therefrom the U shaped arm 150 is secured to the member 140, and secured on the top thereof are the pusher or loaders 151 which are spaced apart and formed with the V shaped ends 152;

also upon said arm 150 and the pushers 151 is mounted the collecting plate 153; said plate being formed as shown in Figure 15, and also provided with two or more depressions or grooves 154, and a series of short posts 155 projecting upward from its rear end. As the arm 150 to which is secured the collecting plate 153 and the loaders 151 is f moved forward, the loaders 151 push the collected pile of inserts from the plate into the opened envelope; the arm 150 havin an intermittent movement, is next at rest an the collecting plate 153 receives the next batch of inserts from their stations; which on the backward travel of the arm 150 are stripped from said plate 153 to the plate 100 by the gate 156, and are then ready to be inserted lnto the next envelope by the next forward movement of the arm 150.

It may here be noted that for the purpose of simplifying the drawings only two insert stations are shown in Figure 15 as the operation is the same for the four; and as shown the plate 153 is in position to receive the inserts from the two stations shown. y

At a point near the rear of the plate 153 and above the same is placed a swinging gate or wiper 156 having its ends journa d in bearings on the uprights 101; and said gate is formed with teeth 157 depending therefrom and registering with the grooves 154 of the plate 153; and said gate is also formed with openings 158 to allow the pins 155 to pass therethrough as the plate 153 is reciprocated; and in this manner it will 4be seen that said gate 156 has free swinging movement towards the front or envelope side of the machine, but is prevented from passing a vertical position in a backward direction,

rits function being to wipe the collected inserts from the plate 153 off and upon the front of the plate 100 as the plate 153 is given its backward movement, then by the next forward movement of the plate 153 the V ends 152 of the pusher 151 will engagethe d open to receive them in the following manner.

Slidably mounted in hearings or lugsY 159 formed on the plate are the rods 160 which have mounted on their forward ends the curved openers 161 which enter the envelope ahead of the inserts and hold it in an expanded manner; the forward movement ot these openers 161 being effected by the arms 162 which are bifurcated at their .upper ends to engage the resi' ends ot said rods 160 and the nuts 263 threaded thereon tor adjustrnent While the lower ends oi said arms 162 are pivoted to the shaft 1631 mounted in the hearings 164 secured to the plate 1; a rocking movement being imparted to said arms 162 hy a cranl-r 165 secured to said shaiit 163 and operated hy a linli 166 pivoted thereto sind to a hell cranlr 16'? secured on a shatt 16@ mounted in s hearingV 169 secured to the traine 1;v said hell cranlt 161w heing provided vvith al roller in rolling` contact with the cani 171 mounted on themain shatt t9..

Said openers 161 are loosely mounted on the rods and are ot such a shape that they guide the inserts into the envelope and prevent themiiroin strilringthe sides or ends oit the openings..

tthen the tour insert supply stations nre employed, a sguardi 116 is placed haelt o1 the tivo rear stations in such a nianner that the inserts can not slide olii the plate on the haelt` ivard strolre and nlso this guard will straighten up nny inserts that are not with the plete and also prevent their on the Y Lislavinp; descrihed the construction 'the machine sind the operation oit the principal parts, and novv referring7 to 19,

ftd, 21 and ft2; it vvill he noted that tl plate 1U@ is indicated as Well 'as the and tions the grate 156, and also the tour inset herewith indicated as it, ld, C, and 1h,

lion' talringgr Figure 19., the plate 15d is ren ceded and is taining on inserts 'irons ti and E, it nonT nieves' torvvard as shown in Figure 2U, the inserts A and 1B passing under the wringingD gate 15d and receiving the inserts trein and D when the plate 15d again rnoves haclrvverd and as the gate 15d can not string' in that direction past its vertical po sition the coilleeted inserts :troni the stoclrs 15H9 and itt are scraped ott' oit the plate 151i hy said Linitie and drop onto the plate 1611,

and theplate 15h 'receives its nent load trota the stochs .il and ld, then inoves tor-nerd tl and 11 and at 'the tune and hy the saine torvvard inoveinont the onlinotedV pile ot inserts on the plate 111@ pushed into the opened' envelope, and this saine cycle is repeated over end over again, sin empty envelope heling hrought into register with the plate 1011 at every step oit the process, and in envelopes are delivered to the stacker" they mayhave the postage stamps aflixedthereto in an automatic manner. Y

While any suitable stamp ailixer may he adapted tothe machine, 1 have here illus trated a simple device for the purpose which is huilt into the machine adjacentto the stacker., p

1n the drawings l have shown a portion of the end of the machine containirnu4 the stacker with the stamp attirer attached thereto, and comprisingr a stamp iii-tilting arm which is pivoted on the shaft 181 mounted in suitable hearings on the trame oiu the ma* chine: said arm 180 is formed with a `toot 182 for prossime,r the stamp upon the envelope which has had a portion ot its suri'ace rnois tened hy passing over a water Wheel 183; which is operated hy lirictional Contact with the envelope as the'sarne travels over the Water Wheel.

The stamps used are of the hind supplied in rolls, a rollheing mounted in a suitehle manner as at 185; the end ot the strip oit stamps losing threaded through the jaw 18d o1 'a reciprocating; arrn iti?, mounted on a shatt 188, and reciprocated hy a roller 11i@ mounted on the end oi' the arrn 1U@ which is integral with the arin '1t-5?; said roller heingl in rolling contact with a cri-in 191 secured on the shalt 192, and rotated any suitable manner hy one ot the reveilving@A shalts o t the machine;

The plate on `which the envelope slides and which iornis the hottoni ol the stscirer is lorined with an opening; 1911 through which the toot 182 carries up and atiiires the stamps 193 to the envelope, and adjacent to said opening 195 is mounted a javi' 1% for holding the end ot the stamp until the saine is torn from the strip 191 and shined,

This jaw 191i may he operated in anni1 suituhle manner and timed to open and close as required.

rllhe action ot the strip 197 o1 stamps trom the roll 1841 is threaded through the jaws 18d o1 the arni 1&7, carried over the top o1" the toot 1h25 und the end gripped in the jaar 1%,

The arm 1d? novv o ens and nieves haeltvvard on the stripv 19 g then closes on the strip and moves slightly the strip with it and hucltlinp)u the saine hetvveen the jaws 196 andthe toot 1&2 L; the stanip aihxing arm 180 and the toot 18:? are now raised by the action ot" the cam 19t? Secured lng empty itis utilized as a'--colli'ecto1`f" a device is as tollirnfs9 the mounted'onf-the end of the maar 1e on the shaft 192 act' 'on the roller 199 lecting late to said loadin station during m8 CE forms a;part of the arm same,.first tearin the stamp whichis held by the jaws196 romthe strip 197, then as said stamp is released by the jaw 196 itis carried up on the foot 182V and pressed against the wet'surface vof the envelope where it is retained and ressed until d by the next envelope whic is fed into -.t e stacker before described; the arm 180 and foot 18 then descend, the jaw 196 opens and the y .Y the arni 187 is moved backwar along the strip 197 and again grip e arm 187 moves forward carrying the strip 197 `and the end of the next stamp will enter y the jaws 196 which will close on it and the jaws 186 of the arm 187 now open and as they pass the same tocarry the same forward to buck the same as',...before, and vthis action is repeated over and over a ain, the only action required on the part o the operator being to renew the roll of stamps and thread the same through the 'aws A so it will be noted that the device shown used the last stamp of the roll, which is not arm 200 which the ba 180, raising the vice. i

In testimony signature.

possible with the stamp allixing machines n now in use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 3

1. In an inserting machine of the class d`escribed, in combination with an envelope supl insert supply stations having means for dethrough' said machine and opening and closlivering inserts to said collectorduring its "backward `and forward travel.

i In an inserting machineof the class described, in combination with an envelope supply and means for conveying said envelopes ing 'the same during their travel, of insert supply stations having feeding means, a loadlng station, a combined collector and loader adapted to receive in serts from-the supply stations during its backward and forward travel, and means lected inserts from ing station during said collector.

3. In an inserting machine ofthe class described, in combination with an envelope supply and means for conveying said envelopes through said machine and opening and closing their flaps during said travel, of a loadlng` station, with delivery means, a combined collecting and loading movement, and adapted to receive inserts from said `insert supply stationsduring both its backward and forward travel, and means for transferring said inserts from said colinsert supply 'stations provided.

for transferring the coldevice' having a reciprocating whereof I hereunto -ax my GEORGE SAGUE.

ward travel of said collecting dey 

